11 Outdated Things Gen X People Simply Refuse To Do Anymore
Jacob Lund / Shutterstock Gen X has reached a point where their patience for unnecessary hassles is officially gone. After growing up navigating life as they know it, many Gen Xers simply refuse to do outdated things that no longer make sense for them.
What once felt mandatory now feels outdated, inefficient, or simply not worth the energy. Having lived through massive changes in technology, the workplace, and their social lives, Gen X learned how quickly striving for normal can become pointless. As a result, they’re far more selective about where they invest their time and effort. If a rule feels performative, outdated, or disrespectful of personal boundaries, they’re increasingly opting out.
Here are 11 outdated things Gen X people simply refuse to do anymore
1. They no longer have any desire to talk on the phone
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Back in the day, if Gen Xers wanted to make plans, they had to pick up the phone and call their friend's house. Not only that, they had to politely greet their friend's parents and endure their questions if their mom or dad answered the phone. The days of getting tangled in the phone cord and leaving messages on an answering machine are long gone, and Gen Xers are never going back. The invention of the cell phone brought a certain kind of freedom, and now that smartphones are literally everywhere, Gen Xers can avoid making actual phone calls as much as they want.
While talking on the phone could be seen as a lost art, a form of connection that can't be recaptured, Gen Xers are perfectly content to text and go about their day, without having to wait patiently by the landline to know if their friends want to hang out.
2. They refuse to answer the door
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Another indication of a bygone era that Gen Xers are leaving behind is answering random knocks at their front door. In the '70s, '80s, and '90s, it was common to swing by someone's house to see if they were home. Neighborhood kids roamed free, riding their bikes from one house to the next to gather their gang together.
But times have changed. Hearing a knock at the door is no longer met with excitement, but rather, trepidation. Who could possibly be on the front porch, and what do they want? Gen Xers know that no one just drops by anymore, so they don't answer the door unless they get a text first.
3. They will not practice authoritarian parenting
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Many Gen Xers were raised by parents who used an authoritarian parenting style. A 2019 study delved into the four types of parenting styles established by American psychologists in the 1980s: authoritative, indulgent, authoritarian, and neglectful. The authors of the study explained that "authoritarian parents try to shape, control, and evaluate their children's behavior based on the absolute set of standards." The researchers also noted that having authoritarian parents was associated with negative outcomes, including aggression and acting out.
Many Gen Xers made an active decision not to parent their kids the way they were parented. Some went to the other extreme and relied on an indulgent parenting style, described as minimally demanding yet highly responsive. Some chose authoritative parenting, which relies on being both demanding and responsive. Many parents eschewed parenting dogma altogether and parented in ways that fit their family. Whatever style of parenting Gen Xers landed on, they looked to their own experience to inform how they wanted to show up for their kids.
4. Gen X does not let their kids go unsupervised
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Gen X is known as the latch-key generation. When they were kids, they walked home alone, let themselves into an empty house, and foraged for snacks before settling down in front of the TV. Being a latch-key kid was the norm, and it certainly had both positive and negative developmental consequences. Gen Xers were independent and self-sufficient, yet they also didn't always receive the emotional or practical support they needed.
Now that they're adults with children of their own, many Gen Xers have swung the parenting pendulum in the other direction. They're the definitive helicopter parents: highly attentive to their kids, often to an extreme degree. They're less likely to let their kids be on their own, choosing instead to be incredibly involved in every aspect of their lives. It's easy to judge someone else's parenting from afar, yet in reality, there's no perfect formula for raising kids. Most parents are doing the best they can with the tools they have, and as long as they love and support their kids, that's often enough.
5. They will not be hyper-independent
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Gen Xers are the ultimate DIYers. They came of age in an era of grunge music. They witnessed the birth of MTV, made 'zines, and declared themselves as wholly anti-establishment. Having latchkey childhoods made Gen Xers deeply self-reliant, to the point that they didn't reach out for help even when they needed it. Yet as their own kids enter adulthood, many Gen Xers are changing their ways.
They understand the need for community care and mutual aid because they lived without it. They know that being on your own too much can lead to a sense of isolation, so they're pushing back against it. They realize no one can solve all their problems alone, and that people are better together than apart.
6. They no longer believe they can have it all
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Another significant side-effect of having boomer parents is that Gen Xers were raised with the ethos that they could have it all. They could find a well-paying job, get the corner office, and collect all the trappings of a middle-class life. Girls, especially, were told they could be wives and mothers and high-achieving employees, all at the same time, without sacrificing a thing. Yet the idea of having it all isn't actually sustainable, accessible, or real.
Gen Xers are more financially stable than millennials, who came up after them, or any member of Gen Z, yet they also faced the harsh realization that something always has to give. As they edge closer to retirement age, studies have shown Gen Xers have less money saved for retirement than is recommended. As a result, they emphasize the importance of a true work-life balance. They talk openly about the challenges of being a working parent. They aim for transparency around how their professional lives and personal lives intersect. They instilled the mindset that having it all isn't possible, but having some is more than enough.
7. They will no longer avoid healing their trauma
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Another old-fashioned habit that Gen Xers have turned their backs on is neglecting their emotional needs. While boomers tend to avoid therapy and balk at the idea of "doing the work," Gen Xers show up for themselves and their families by trying to heal their wounds.
Gen Xers who go to therapy are breaking deeply entrenched generational patterns. They're walking their own path, one that paves the way for their kids to have higher levels of emotional intelligence and build their identities around self-acceptance and self-compassion.
8. They won't ignore their feelings
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In keeping with healing the trauma they hold, Gen Xers refuse to avoid their emotions by pretending everything's fine. They recognize that pushing their feelings down makes them well up even stronger.
Gen X knows that the key to their well-being is processing how they feel and not hiding it. By being more vulnerable than they were taught to be, they're giving themselves permission to be their fullest selves, even when it's painful.
9. They no longer have an apathetic attitude
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Gen Xers have moved far beyond being the slacker generation by refusing to be apathetic. They're no longer defined by not caring.
They've come into their own, forming strong opinions and beliefs about society. Their political affiliations may lean toward the more conservative side of things, but no one can accuse them of slacking off or dropping out anymore.
10. They refuse to make work their whole lives
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Gen Xers refuse to devote all of their energy to their jobs. They were taught that being ambitious and having a strong work ethic were indicators of self-worth, yet they rejected that notion and embraced work-life balance.
Many Gen Xers made their way up the corporate ladder, yet by setting clear boundaries in the workplace, they've shown that their anti-establishment mentality hasn't completely vanished. They draw a sense of meaning and purpose from other aspects of their lives. They're fully aware that their jobs don't define them. Ultimately, Gen Xers stay true to themselves and refuse to let anyone else determine who they are.
11. They won't explain their life choices to anyone
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Gen X has reached a stage of life where explaining their choices to others feels unnecessary. Psychology suggests that’s a healthy shift, not a selfish one. Earlier in adulthood, people are more motivated to seek approval because social acceptance helps shape their identity and sense of belonging. But research shows that as people age, they become more internally guided, relying less on external validation to define self-worth.
For Gen X, this translates into less energy spent justifying career moves, relationship decisions, parenting styles, or lifestyle preferences to people who aren’t directly affected by them.
Psychologists refer to this as increased self-concept clarity, which is associated with better emotional regulation and lower stress levels. For Gen X, a generation that has already navigated economic instability, cultural shifts, and changing norms, this clarity often comes from lived experience rather than theory. Constantly explaining oneself can quietly erode emotional well-being. Gen X has learned that not every opinion deserves access to their reasoning, and that peace often comes from selective transparency. By refusing to explain their life choices to everyone, they’re practicing psychological self-protection rooted in confidence, boundaries, and earned self-trust.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer who covers social issues, pop culture analysis, and all things related to the entertainment industry.
